Why do couriers have such long delivery window?

Blisterman

I arranged yesterday for a package to be collected today from Yodel, and was told they'd arrive between 7am and 7pm, a 12 hour window! I've now been sitting here over 10 hours and they still haven't arrived.

Given all the modern technology that exists for scheduling, planning routes and tracking, how come couriers can't give you any more accurate time than that? I tried calling them, and they couldn't be any more specific as to what time.

Surely they plan out their route in advance, so will have a fairly good idea the approximate time they'll be there. I know the postman arrives every day within about a half hour time period?

If so, surely it's in everyone's interests to let the customer know a more accurate time, thus minimising the time spent waiting? Or at least some kind of text alert system to say they're stuck in traffic and will be a little late.

Can anyone explain why all couriers seem to operate this way?

Chris_5339762

I reckon most of the issue is that courier companies here are just badly run.

Parcelmotel is the way to go, if you can avail of it.

Cabaal

The likes of Citylink & Yodel don't operate a time specific collection windows as far as I am aware, same as they don't operate a time specific delivery window.

Its all well saying planning routes and giving specific time but implementing such a system costs money and takes time and training to implement, it has to be seen as cost affective to do so in the long term also.

Given you've mentioned Yodel its clear Parcelmotel is no good to you as you're in the uk.

Blisterman

Now, despite me calling at 5, and being assured that they were on their way, they never showed up.
Phoned them and they said they'd arrive tomorrow.

Am I entitled to any sort of refund or anything for the time I've wasted as a result of their lying to me?

TheDriver

hence why I always get stuff delivered to work

Blisterman

I was in work! From 7am to 7pm!

jimmycrackcorm

Blisterman wrote: »

Given all the modern technology that exists for scheduling, planning routes and tracking, how come couriers can't give you any more accurate time than that? I tried calling them, and they couldn't be any more specific as to what time.

Surely they plan out their route in advance, so will have a fairly good idea the approximate time they'll be there. I know the postman arrives every day within about a half hour time ?

Not every courier company wants to shell out the cost of putting in expensive route planning and tracking. As for the postman being within a certain time frame, wouldn't you expect a difference with the fact there are so many past offices compared to courier offices and your postie has a short route that is the same each day?

sandin

Dpd have a 2 hour window which is texted to you. They have 95% hit rate within the window.

coylemj

sandin wrote: »

Dpd have a 2 hour window which is texted to you. They have 95% hit rate within the window.

That's about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike!

If you're sending, you can decide which courier company to use and you can go to them to drop off the package so you are in complete control. If you are being delivered to, you typically have no choice as to who is delivering so telling us that DPD does this or that when it comes to delivering a package is completely irrelevant.

TheDriver

sandin wrote: »

Dpd have a 2 hour window which is texted to you. They have 95% hit rate within the window.

I have never gotten a text from them about any delivery. Also find its totally random when the delivery takes place

keithclancy

Blisterman wrote: »

I arranged yesterday for a package to be collected today from Yodel, and was told they'd arrive between 7am and 7pm, a 12 hour window! I've now been sitting here over 10 hours and they still haven't arrived.

Given all the modern technology that exists for scheduling, planning routes and tracking, how come couriers can't give you any more accurate time than that? I tried calling them, and they couldn't be any more specific as to what time.

Surely they plan out their route in advance, so will have a fairly good idea the approximate time they'll be there. I know the postman arrives every day within about a half hour time period?

If so, surely it's in everyone's interests to let the customer know a more accurate time, thus minimising the time spent waiting? Or at least some kind of text alert system to say they're stuck in traffic and will be a little late.

Can anyone explain why all couriers seem to operate this way?

It's difficult enough to operate this system as being too early is as bad as being late.

Also if you're delayed for one delivery you're late for all of them.

To top it off Ireland doesn't have a postcode system and a lot of people have just given their houses names that are not on the land registry.

Cabaal

coylemj wrote: »

That's about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike!

In fairness the OP said

Can anyone explain why all couriers seem to operate this way?

Given not ALL carriers operate in the way the OP believes, the response about DPD was perfectly fine and useful as it addressed the misconception about all carriers acting in the same way.

Blisterman

Even a 2 hour window would be alright, an hour either side of the expected delivery time, gives them plenty of leeway to be a little early or late if there's any delay

DPD seem to be the exception. I've encountered this with dozens of courier companies, including most of the big ones.

weisses

I found DPD to be pretty accurate lately .. got a txt in the morning saying my parcel was deliverd that day .. got a call from driver same morning saying he would be there at 3 ... And he was on time

So if you have a choice i would recommend them

No Pants

My experiences with Yodel tells me they're cowboys.

mikemac1

DPD are excellent in my experience.

Will text you the time slot and they've always arrived within this for me

pleasant Co.

I'm the opposite, dpd are one of the main couriers i avoid due to multiple bad experiences in the past.

Ken.

I've had 2 things delivered by DPD for UPC and both times they texted me to give a delivery time and both times they arrived within 20 mins of the time.

Ambersky

Signed up to the new Horizon service with UPC yesterday.
They said I would receive my new set box today delivered by DPD and when I expressed some concern because of previous bad experiences of sitting in, taking time off work and waiting for DPD deliveries that didnt show, they said there was a better delivery service now and explained I would get a text message giving me this two hour delivery notice.
Sounds good.

Got text message from UPC and from DPD last night telling me I was due a delivery today and to have my old set top ready to take away. I cancelled previous arrangements and visits and waited to find out if this two hour window was to be in the morning or afternoon so I could arrange my day.
Got a phone call from DPD at 11am telling me they only arrange their deliveries each morning and that I was one of the unlucky ones they couldn't get around to today but be ready for that two hour window sometime tomorrow, they couldn't say morning afternoon or evening, just be ready.

So I would like UPC not to promise customers on the phone that they will get a delivery on a day they cant possibly arrange and seem to have no control over.
I would like DPD to also stop sending out text messages at night asking customers to be ready for a delivery and collection the following day, but a day before they are actually arranging those deliveries.

Ive been promised a delivery tomorrow, Im not convinced at all that I will get it, because this has happened to me before with DPD. In fact their text message sent to me last night asked for the old set top box ( that they eventually collected) plus my current one be ready for collection today.
Anyway I will see tomorrow.

Ambersky

I think it is important to say when things go right as well as when they go wrong. So Im back to say I did get a text message today saying my parcel would arrive between 11.30 and 13.30. It arrived around 12.00 so that was good and it did help to be given that two hour window.

relaxed

Blisterman wrote: »

I arranged yesterday for a package to be collected today from Yodel, and was told they'd arrive between 7am and 7pm, a 12 hour window! I've now been sitting here over 10 hours and they still haven't arrived.

Given all the modern technology that exists for scheduling, planning routes and tracking, how come couriers can't give you any more accurate time than that? I tried calling them, and they couldn't be any more specific as to what time.

Surely they plan out their route in advance, so will have a fairly good idea the approximate time they'll be there. I know the postman arrives every day within about a half hour time period?

If so, surely it's in everyone's interests to let the customer know a more accurate time, thus minimising the time spent waiting? Or at least some kind of text alert system to say they're stuck in traffic and will be a little late.

Can anyone explain why all couriers seem to operate this way?

A lot of drivers are self employed and get small margin on individual drops. They will prioritise their regular customers who might have 20 or 30 drops and or collections every day.

If they have loads of drop / collections then you get pushed down the list.

You can specify and pay extra for, guaranteed AM or timed or next day delivery etc.